Amor Prohibido (or Love Prohibited)
by MaddieMiran
Summary: In a world post-aliens, Mariana Sifuentes knew that the least of her worries were creatures from outer space, but rather the monsters that lived here with her. The family business wasn't something she was ashamed of, but when you helped run a secret organization for immigrant families, keeping hidden meant keeping safe. That's where the Devil comes in.
1. The Devil Is Always Watching

**Hello all! Thank you for clicking on my story! My real name is Madison but you can all call me Maddie, since I usually prefer it. I appreciate reviews, as this is my first fanfic and I would like to get some feedback on what I need to change, what you feel about the story, if I'm writing anyone OOC, etc.**

 **A little backstory for why I decided to write this. I** **recently became a huge fan of Daredevil through the Netflix series, and while I had always been a fan of superheroes growing up, I had never heard of him. I felt a connection to the character and fell deeply in love with the series when they had two main characters able to speak and understand Spanish, and how a hispanic woman was a big part of Karen's plot. Although I appreciated the effort for diversity, I longed to see a hispanic woman as a part of the main cast, and wondered how that would change anything, and thus, this was created. Since I myself am Mexican-American, I based Mariana on that. It really was important to me that I try to write someone that felt authentic and not like I was pandering about something I didn't know about.**

 **I'm still trying to get the hang of this so please, no flames. Constructive criticism is welcomed and encouraged, though! Enjoy and tell me what you think and if I should continue!**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

She swears she locked the door.

Before anyone even got to the restaurant the next morning, she had already bussed the tables and started on the tortillas per her abuela's request. She was the only one who was willing to go back to start making the sticky _masa_ mixture, and the only one who was dedicated enough to continue to do so after she grew up, something Mariana was very proud of. Her grandma likes to boast about it to her slacker cousins after all, and she very well couldn't embarrass her _abuela_ now could she? Although she was very careful to be aware of her surroundings at those hours, you never knew what could happen at night. Hell's Kitchen may be her home but that didn't mean it was forgiving. Hence the door, which she could have sworn she made sure was locked in the first place. How did they get in the store then? There weren't any windows in the backroom and there wasn't any trash to take out, so how exactly was there an opening for them other than the front door.

As she was contemplating the door situation, she could feel the van she was currently tied up in the back of come to a harsh stop, which made her roll into the side and hit her head in the same place where she was bleeding. They had a bag over her that quickly soaked up the blood that started to pour from the wound she had gotten when they knocked her out, and it was throbbing something awful. The zip ties on her wrists were already starting to rub raw, but there wasn't exactly any way for her to remove them. She had tried to fight back but they were stronger, and she got beat to a pulp for her efforts. The world was still spinning and she felt like throwing up but it didn't seem like a good idea, these guys didn't seem like the type of people to help her clean up her mess, rather, they seemed like they would let her lie in it instead.

The sound of feet hitting gravel and then the doors opened and although she couldn't see what was happening, she could hear someone speaking quickly in a language she couldn't understand. German? Russian? Had to be, she had seen enough movies to recognize the sound of the harsh language. But what were the Russians doing with her? She was told it was Fisk who had a problem with them, and he certainly wasn't Russian. At least, she didn't think so. The Russians suddenly stopped talking as she was heaved into a sitting position before being pushed to the ground outside of the van. The small rocks were sharp and pierced the skin on her cheek as she skids forward, dust going up her nostrils and making it hard to breathe.

"Walk."

She lifted her chin off the ground and swung her head to the side where she heard the deep voice. "We at your place or mine? What kinda girl do you think I am sir? How naughty of you to assume."

It was the sound of a gun cocking and a pressure on the back of her head that made her breath intake and her smile drop. She may try to convince them she was a badass and had been in countless situations like these, but Mariana also didn't want to get killed for running her mouth before she got to wherever they were bringing her. The back of her shirt was used to lift her from the ground, and she was shoved forward once more. She almost tripped before she righted herself and started to walk to wherever they were leading her. Mariana tried to listen for any clues of where she was. They hadn't driven for long, but Mariana couldn't tell you how many minutes it had been. She was too busy annoying the hell out of the drivers for that, and she's pretty sure she succeeded. If there was one thing she was good at, it was running her mouth.

The sound of more Russian, this time yelling. Two people going back and forth in an argument it seemed like. The conversation was getting faster and faster as she was shoved into a chair and then tied to it. The gun never moved from her head, which kept her from thoughts of running. There was no way she would make it to an exit before they put a bullet through her skull, never mind the fact that she couldn't see where she was going in the first place. The pair of hands that were tying her feet together were no longer touching her, and she was hit with a bright light before she could really focus on the fact that the bag was no longer over her face.

"I wouldn't move if I were you."

She couldn't help but let out a laugh. What kind of line was that? This wasn't a movie, but the man in front of her had used one of the most unoriginal lines any villain could possibly say, totally cliché. The blow from the back of her head was unexpected, but not surprising. She was being a little shit, really, and she's pretty sure these were the type of guys whose hairline triggers were something she didn't want to mess with, for once. Although…

"Do you know why you're here?" Her eyes rolled, and she let out a sigh. Did she know what she was here for? Kind of. Did she really care why she was here? Not really. Was she getting out anytime soon? Probably not, but hell would freeze over before she let any information slip. So instead of saying anything, she simply raised an eyebrow, then winced when another blow came, this time to her stomach. Wasn't there some type of rule about hitting girls?

"Now you do not talk? We could not get you to stop in the van." He came forward and gripped her by the hair on her head so she was forced to meet his stare. "Speak before we take...other measures." Damn. Well, if she was already in deep shit there was no use in trying to get on their good side, not that she thought they had one. There was no going back, and Mariana hoped they would kill her before any torture started. The thought sent a wave of shock through her system. _They're going to kill me_ , she realized. This wasn't one of the hypothetical situations she had grown up talking about with her family. She was really going to be murdered here. She would never get to see her family again, never get to talk to her best friend again.

Never see those families make it to a better place.

She looked through her one good eye and starred in the face of the man who kidnapped her. The man who would take down her family if she even let one hint of information slip. If she was going to be killed, she was going to go down mocking the shit out of this guy. She wanted him pissed, because when a man was pissed, they lost control, and if they lost control with her, maybe she would have a quick death. Her eyes narrowed. Ugly, but he could have been handsome if he tried. He still held her by the hair, and there was a sharp pain on her scalp that she ignored. She yanked her head back and could hear an audible ripping sound from the hair that came out. She tried to appear calm as she leaned into the chair like she owned the place, arrogance practically radiating from her.

"Sounds scary. But I'm sorry to tell you bud, first rule of fight club? Don't talk about fight club." Silence. One man coughed from a corner of the room and Mariana turned her head as much as she could to face him. He looked sheepish. She looked back to the man in front of her, where he hadn't moved from his crouched position over her.

"What you don't get movie privileges in Russian prison? That's unfortunate. Brad Pitt reminds me a little of you if you took a bath." She pretended to think about it. "Actually, skip the bath. You could definitely be Tyler if you wanted. You ever heard about something called cosplay?"

Before she got an answer, someone came out of the shadows. Gunshots exploded all around her and she screamed when she felt a bullet graze the skin near her ear. Her hand tried to come up and cover the wound, but she was still tied. Blood was everywhere and she could feel more of it rushing down the side of her face, warm and thick. Her screaming never ceased and she pulled more at the ropes around her middle with all the strength that she had left. Instead of escaping, the chair toppled over and her face slammed onto the cold, warehouse floor. Scared didn't even begin to cover the amount of terror that ran through her. From where she lay, she could only see what was in front of her, and it was the sight of a man wearing a black mask that seemed to calm her a bit. Not enough to stop screaming, but enough to think that maybe she had a chance of getting out of here alive.

All of Hell's Kitchen knew about the Devil. He came out in newspapers and gossip magazines alike, saying that he was a murderer, a hero. There seemed to be mixed reviews about him in the public, but Mariana knew a hero when she saw one.

The man in the mask wasted no time in fighting, he got right to business taking down anyone in his path. To be honest he was impressive, though you would never hear her say that out loud. Sometimes, when Mariana was alone in the apartment, she looked up videos of him online. There was a popular site that a lot of his fans went to, or rather, the people who were on his side. People he had helped personally, or just other civilians who felt like he was what this city needed. She had always done it in secret, he was a vigilante after all, and she was a good Catholic Hispanic girl, according to her immediate family. Sure, she'd been a bit of a wild child in her early years, but that was nothing compared to admiring the Devil. Good Catholic Hispanic girls didn't run around getting crushes on men who had cops and half of New York after them.

 _It worked for ma_ , she thought. _Then again not everyone is as good a man as papi._

Suddenly, as she was contemplating screaming again and alerting the masked man where she was so he could untie her and she could run, she felt someone grab her by the hair on her head punch her in the face. Before the world went black, her last thought was that she was definitely going to have to get her cousin Marion to lend her more makeup.

* * *

She came to, and heard the raspy voice of a man. Her eyes tried to focus, but she was confused. The only thing she could make out was lips and a beard in front of her.

"Hey wake up. Ma'am please, I need you to be awake when we get to the hospital."

At the word hospital, she shot up from the position she was in on the ground. No. No hospitals, _never_ any hospitals. For one she couldn't afford it, and hospitals were a no go for her and her family, she couldn't put them in that situation. Her head spun, but she quickly turned and grabbed the arm of what she realized was the masked man to her side. She could feel her body swaying from side to side and the urge to pass out again was quickly taking over, but she got the words out before she did any of those things.

"No, I can't. No hospital, no doctors. Home, I have to get home." She swallowed blood that was bubbling up her throat. He hesitated, and pulled her hand away from his forearm with force, but not enough to hurt her. She hadn't realized the strength she was using, the rest of her body felt weak but her hand had a tight grip on him. Once he got her hand off of him she fell back onto the floor like she had been before. There was a burn in her right side that was painful but manageable, what really worried her was the bruises. There was no way she was going to be able to hide this from her family, and she couldn't avoid them forever. The man tilted his head to the side and his jaw tensed. He seemed to be against the idea but Mariana wasn't about to pass out and let him take her there without her permission. No one would be able to come and get her anyways.

"Where do you live?", he asked. His voice was rough and made her shiver in a way that was definitely _not_ out of fear or cold. _Ay Mariana. Now is not the time,_ she chastised herself. It wasn't like she was a teenager anymore. She was a grown woman and this was definitely not the time to admire him or his stubble that she had imagined on her skin countless of times. Anyways, she would likely never see him on anything other than the computer screen again anytime soon, there was no use in even talking to him. He seemed to be waiting for her response.

"Oh right! Uh…" She quickly rattled off the first place that came to mind. He nodded once and helped lift her up. It was then that she noticed that the zip ties and ropes were gone. She touched the delicate skin on her wrists and winced. She would have to buy some ointment for the burn.

"Is your ear okay?"

"Huh?" she looked over at him. He pointed to her ear that was still bleeding. Her hand came up and touched the tip. There was only a slight stinging feeling

"You're ear. The bullet hit you there. Does it hurt? I was talking to you earlier but you didn't answer, so I just thought…", he trailed off. Oh, dear God. Oh, this was embarrassing. She could feel her cheeks flair up. Thank god for brown skin.

"Yeah! Um, my hearing is a little bit off I think, ha." She laughed sheepishly, trying to play it cool. She didn't want him to know that she had been staring at him a little too long and gotten distracted, instead. He nodded once more, this time slower, and continued to walk out of the warehouse they had taken her to.

She didn't live very far from there, it seemed. Maybe thirty minutes on foot, though it had seemed like an eternity when she was in the back of that god-awful van that smelled like piss and beer. The entire walk to her house she could feel the man watching her as she tried not to stumble through the streets looking like a drunkard. She was less than successful because by the third time she had managed to trip over a crack in the sidewalk, he grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her to his side. It felt nice and she tried to convince herself that it was only because she needed help walking that he even did it in the first place. Still, she couldn't help but feel giddy at the fact that he was touching her. Through her clothes, but still a win-win situation for her.

When they reached the building, she realized with horror that she had given him her old address, the one of her grandmother, parents, and every other family member that lived in the exact same building on the exact same floor. She tried to hide her wince but it seemed like he noticed, because his grip on her loosened. They walked into the opening of the door to the lobby when she opened her mouth to thank him lobby, and she heard her name come from the stairwell to their right.

"Mariana? What the hell are you doing?", her cousin Victor asked as he walked closer from where he had been taking the trash out to the dumpster. Mariana tried to make herself smaller to hide the fact that she was covered in blood, but failed to remember that the Devil of Hell's Kitchen was currently holding onto her side. It seemed though, that it hadn't even occurred to Victor because he saw her black eyes first and started yelling at the top of his lungs for someone to come downstairs, that Mariana was hurt and bleeding. Almost immediately the lobby was filled with five more people, all screaming and actually hurting her ear for real. She felt someone pull her from the Devil and lift her bridal style, while the others followed her and whoever was carrying her upstairs.

"What happened to you, oh my gosh!"

"What did I tell you about letting her go out at night to do your dirty work, Victor! You should be the one going out and helping for once!"

"I want to know who did this right now, Mariana!"

"Oh, _tio_ is going to be so pissed."

"Wait! We should bring him up too! Look, he's bleeding!", the sound of Victor pushing the Devil behind them was heard by Mariana and the rest of her family stopped going up the stairs to turn back and look at the two. Her abuela emerged from the group and walked up to the masked man. As she got closer, he got even more tense, and by the time she was standing in front of him he looked ready to bolt. The sight would have made Mariana laugh any other time. The Devil scared of a little old lady? Well, abuela could be scary when she wanted to be. But it seemed like her grandmother was just trying to get a closer look at a cut on his face, because when she grabbed his jaw and tilted his head to the side gently, he let her. She was silent for a moment before she tsked.

" _Ven. Tenemos algo adentro para usted.",_ and that was the end of it. Her family once more began to make noise as they crowded into the small hallways that led to her parent's apartment. Once inside, they lied her down on the red couch in the living room. The living room in the apartment she had grown up in. Mariana could smell the mixture of perfume her mother uses and the Antonio Banderas cologne her father thinks makes him more attractive (though her mom hated it and had tried to get him to stop using it for years) on the throw blanket on the back of the couch that she had knitted with her abuela when she was ten. She inhaled deeply. This was the smell of home, and it soothed her enough for her heart to calm down from its frantic beating.

" _Quien es?"_ a feminine voice came from the bedroom. At the sound of the sweet voice, tears welled up in Mariana's eyes. The strength and adrenaline that had kept her going until she made it home, suddenly collapsed, and she just felt like sobbing. She had almost been killed. Her life would have been taken by men who her family didn't know and therefore, couldn't avenge her. She would have helped in keeping the families' safe, but it would have cost her her life. Mariana groaned and tried to call out to her mother, who had surely been asleep already and had been startled to hear such a large group of people run up the stairs and into her apartment. When she saw Mariana on the couch, she gasped and ran to her side where she cried as soon as the black eyes on Mariana's face came into view. Seeing her mother made her feel like a child again, and all she wanted was to be in her arms, but she couldn't, she had to protect her, and so Mariana did the only thing that she felt she could. She dried her tears and tried to reassure her mother.

" _Ma_ I'm fine _. No llores por favor._ If you cry then I will too, and _papi_ wouldn't want that for either of us, right?" Her mother nodded and tried to slow down her sobs. The family went quiet for a moment before Victor stepped up and said "I'm calling _tio._ Mariana.", she turned her head away from her mom and looked at the serious expression on the face of her cousin. He inhaled and held his breath for a moment before he spit the words out, "They'll pay." She nodded. There was no doubt in her mind that they would.

The sound of his footsteps echoed through the room before her grandmother clapped her hands and assigned everyone a job. Mariana wasn't paying attention and so she missed the instructions everyone was given as they scrambled to get their jobs done before her grandmother went after them. The Devil was standing in the middle of the living room awkwardly until her mother rounded on him and shoved his body into the Lay-Z-Boy that her father had been fond of ever since she was little. He used to put her on his knee and sing old Mexican lullabies that he grew up with, his dark eyes glinting in the night and his smile raining down on her as she slowly fell asleep.

" _Sientate alli. Vamos a ayudarte con…",_ her mom seemed at a loss for words as she gestured to his getup and the cuts that littered his body. "... _con todo eso."_ She quickly turned and grabbed the first aid kit that one of her other cousins had brought in. It was slightly larger than the average family had, but they did use it more than anything else in the house.

Her grandmother pushed her to the side and grabbed the medicine from her hands, she didn't look over to Mariana as she told her mother to tend to her daughter instead. Something was up, her grandmother seemed too keen on helping the other wounded person in the room, but she was too tired to question and just let her mom rush to her side and tend to her. The cooing sounds that came from her mouth were the same that she made when Mariana was little and would come into the room with a paper cut or a scab from falling off of her bike. These wounds were more serious, but she found comfort in the way that her mom never changed, no matter how old she got. She gently applied bandages where she could and moved the hair from her face in a soft gesture. By this time the water works had stopped and only Mariana was the one still trying to contain her sobs. Her eyes opened in time to see her _tia_ shooing her half asleep younger siblings out the door, Andres holding Montse in his arms, her nightgown flowing behind her as he tried to leave as quickly as possible.

She was about to call out to them but thought better of it. There was no reason to scare them before they even fully woke up, or even scare them at all. Her body seemed to have other ideas as she tried to get up and go after them, but hissed when the pain in her side became a real problem. Her mom started fussing over her once more and concluded that her ribs had to be broken.

"Her ribs are bruised.", the man sitting in the chair called out while she lied back down. Mariana scoffed and then turned her head to him.

"You sure they aren't broken? I'm in a lot of pain here and I don't appreciate the vigilante trying to give his _expert medical advice_ when he may not even be right in the first place." He smirked and then cleared his throat. He put both hands on the arms rests to lift himself up but her grandma smacked his hands away from them, making him sit down once more where she tried to finish cleaning his cuts, the sound echoing in the small room. It seemed that he had gotten out relatively unscathed compared to her. He sighed as he was pushed down but seemed against fighting an old lady. However, he continued the conversation from where he was.

"I'm positive. If you had any broken bones you would have been in a lot more pain, and I definitely would have taken you to the hospital whether you agreed to it or not. Trust me, I know what broken ribs feels like." Her mother laughed into her arm while holding the dirty rags she had used to clean the blood from her face. Mariana gave her a dirty look. Her mom was supposed to be on her side, wasn't she? They all knew how dangerous it could be for her to go to the hospital, they didn't need any more people on their case than they already apparently did. It wasn't even that funny, and Mariana grumbled out of embarrassment.

Her mom stood up to go to the kitchen to throw away the rags, but first, headed over to the guy before she did. "Oh, I _like you_.", she said with a wicked smile. There was laughter in her voice and although it was kind of annoying for her mom to side with a stranger over her own daughter, Mariana was glad that she wasn't as frenzied as she had been before. It was never good to have her mom worried about her, but typically she didn't give her a reason to. Mariana heard the trash can be opened and then closed, then the fridge. Her mom came back into the room with the sound of her _chanclas_ flopping against the wood floors. In her hand was a tray of snacks that she set on the tiny table in the middle of the room, before taking a seat on it in front of the Devil. She nibbled on the _galletas_ that they had gotten from the bakery down the street before she tilted her head and shoved the plate towards him.

"Eat. You must be hungry. I bet this isn't your last job of the night." He hesitated and _mama_ rolled her eyes before grabbing his hand and forcing a cookie into it. She licked her fingers of the sugar and snickered when he stared at it instead of eating it.

"None of us are letting you leave unless you eat. I make it my job to feed those around me. And _she_ will definitely hit you, no matter how injured you are." She pointed to abuela, who had finished up and was now heading to the kitchen to grab leftovers from dinner earlier in the week. She returned with a plate filled with _arroz con pollo_ , the single _tamale_ that was left over from the stash everyone knew about, and two _chalupas_ that were stacked on top of each other, crushing the lettuce and tomato on the bottom one. He started to refuse, Mariana could see him struggling to do it in a polite way, but her family had never been one to beat around the bush. Or let anyone leave without a full stomach. Her mother grabbed both of his hands again and turned them upwards as her abuela put the plate on them, the cookie trapped between his palm and the paper plate. He sighed, but seemed resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to get out of this one. Mariana laughed and then clutched her side. _Probably shouldn't have done that while my ribs are "bruised"._

"Bruised, my ass.", she whispered. She heard him let out a small, soft laugh and her head whipped towards him. At first, she thought he was laughing at her, but she was too far away for him to hear. Her mom must have said something funny to him while she was complaining on the couch.

"Oh _mija,_ I forgot to give you some ice! Let me go get that for you really quick." _Mama_ stood up and rushed into the kitchen. Her _abuela_ stood up to follow but then hesitated. She crouched down once more and touched his face. He flinched but then seemed to calm down when she started to pet him.

"Thank you.", she whispered in her withered voice, her accent heavy but still able to make out what she said. It came out with such conviction that Mariana started to tear up once more. They could do nothing to thank him but feed him and help with cleaning up his wounds. They had no money to offer, no clothes or really any expert medical attention, but what they had to offer seemed like it was enough for him, because he wasn't asking for anything else.

He nodded slowly and leaned back into the chair. When her mother came back into the room holding a bag of frozen broccoli, he seemed to perk up a bit and his voice rang around the empty room.

"I think we need to discuss what happened...and why exactly Fisk wants your family involved with him." Her grandma and mom turned to face each other before they both started to protest.

"I really think my husband should be the one to talk to you-"

" _Estamos bien agradecidos por todo lo que has hecho pero no podemos hablar sobre-"_

Mariana coughed to get their attention. Her mom shot her a look of anger, like she knew exactly what she was going to do. Well, Mariana always had a soft spot for superheroes.

"What would you like to know?"


	2. It's Not Just You Who Protects

Chapter 2

When Mariana was a little girl, there was a room in their old house that she was never allowed in. It was hidden in the back of the house and away from her room, and she had always tried to put her ear up against it when no one was around. Her mother always found her and led her away by the ear before she could hear anything anyways, but still, she went back and tried to figure out why that room was so important. Her dad always went in there every morning after breakfast, and only came out at the end of the day to sing her lullabies before she went to bed. It wouldn't have been a big deal to her if only she didn't hear more than one voice in there at times, and had even seen her _tios_ and grandma come in and out when they thought she was eating lunch in the kitchen. Mariana and her dad were always close, so she couldn't understand why there would be any secrets between them. She told her dad this one day and a look of guilt passed over his face before he turned around and said, "Some things I do for your own protection _mija_. You'll understand one day." And she did, because one day came sooner than any of them expected.

The day Mariana turned nine was a disaster. It had started off bright to the sound of her family creeping into her room and singing happy birthday to her in Spanish. The small cupcake in the hand of her pregnant mother held a purple candle, her favorite color. Earlier in the week they had gone to the dollar store and let her choose what candle she wanted, just like every other year before. Mariana specified that she wanted sparkles on her cupcake and they found edible glitter in one of the aisles. Her dad held her mom's hand as they went to the register and Mariana remembered looking at them from behind, holding her gifts in hand and thinking that she wanted a love like theirs one day. She ran forward and wrapped her arms around the leg of her dad, his jeans rough and full of dirt, getting her dress dirty. He had bent down to pick her up and she lifted her arms above her head and made "grabby hands" for him. She liked to run her hands over the stubble he got in the mornings before he had a chance to shave.

" _Ay Mariana! Mira lo que tienes en tu vestido!_ I'm going to have to wash it again before we go to church…", her mother complained and tried to wipe away the brown spots on her yellow dress. When that didn't work she licked her thumb and tried to rub away the jam left over on her face from breakfast like she was trying to make up for the fact that since she couldn't clean the dress she may as well clean whatever else was in her reach. Mariana giggled and turned to her dad, whose face was close to hers and made her laugh even harder when his eyebrows rose and he twirled the finger from his free hand in a circle on the side of his temple.

 _Loca,_ he mouthed and this led to the both of them letting out snickers. While Mariana hid her smile behind her hand, her father did no such thing, and was grinning from ear to ear when he looked at her mom at his side. Her mom stopped and opened her mouth in an O shape, then hit her dad's shoulder.

"Ow! Don't hit me! It's true, look at what you're doing! _Mija_ look your mom is hitting me! Wait Gloria, I'm still holding Mariana!"

"She needs to be hit too! You're the reason she's so bad, you let her get away with everything!", although she attempted to be serious, the smile on her face gave her away, and all three stood in the aisle laughing for longer than they expected to.

Later in the day, after she had her "breakfast birthday cupcake" and brushed the glitter out of her teeth, Mariana made sure to remind her mom that today was in fact her birthday and that meant that she was supposed to take the ice cream to class for them to eat. Her mother laughed and walked her to the bus stop, where she kissed her forehead and pinky promised that she wouldn't forget to bring it. That was enough for Mariana, as she quickly allowed her mother to do the sign of the cross on her face and smacked her butt when she turned to get on the bus. The driver said hi to her like she did every morning, and off to school she went.

School was normal, and her teacher stood in front of the class and had them sing happy birthday to her, this time in English. The only time Mariana ever got to hear happy birthday in English was when she went to school. In fact, she hadn't even known there was an English happy birthday until kindergarten. She had only ever spoken Spanish at home, so English was still relatively new to her at that time. But by this time, she was able to clap and sing along, her English had improved that much. Now she could even translate for her family!

When lunch time came around, her mom still hadn't showed up. At the time, it only made Mariana annoyed. Her and her friends had waited all day to be able to eat the sweet treat, and they weren't allowed to have any snacks after lunch in the classroom. The rules were strict and no amount of pouting could convince their teacher, Mr. Collins, to allow them to eat it once her mom finally showed up. There were five minutes until lunch was over when an administrator told her to come to the office, and Mariana was too busy giggling with her friends to notice that the lady's eyebrows were bunched up and she had a frown on her face. As Mariana promised to hurry and bring the ice cream to them as quick as possible, she turned and saw her teacher and the lady talking in quiet voices. Mr. Collins looked at her quickly with his arms crossed, then put his hand on her shoulder when she got closer. He bent to her level and sighed.

"Mariana, someone very important are here to meet with you. I'm going to let Ms. Sawicki walk with you to the office to meet them, okay?" Mariana nodded. Her pigtails flew back and forth with the force of her nod, some pieces ending up in her mouth. The smile never left her face and they could practically feel the excitement vibrating off of her. She turned to Ms. Sawicki and grabbed her hand and with the other, took out the hair from where it was tickling her tongue. Ms. Sawicki seemed nice, and gave her a small smile when Mariana proudly exclaimed, "Today's my birthday!" Her hand gripped Mariana's just a little tighter, but the girl didn't seem to notice. She was too busy trying to get out all the information on her birthday cupcake tradition in one breath.

As they walked out of the cafeteria and towards the main offices, Mariana continued to talk all the way until the moment she saw the police officers. When she did, her laughter died out and the sound of her sneakers skidding on the floor echoed off the walls. The man in uniform looked at her through the office windows and her eyes fell to the floor. Mariana didn't like the police and neither did her family. In school, they taught you that the police were there to help you and keep you safe. Her experience told her differently.

Ms. Sawicki must have noticed the fear that kept her from moving, because she had to gently push her into the open door that Mariana hadn't noticed. The officer who was looking at her quickly turned to his partner to hit his arm and get his attention from where he had been flirting with the secretary, and they both faced her in unison. The first officer took her to a room in the back where there was a fridge and counter. They got comfortable and the pretty secretary came to the back with two cups filled with coffee and one of hot chocolate.

"Thank you," they both whispered into their cups, but Mariana kept hers on the table untouched. Bribery. She wouldn't fall for it.

Once both of the officers got situated again, they looked at the young girl sitting with her arms crossed in front of them. They seemed to be at a loss for words as they looked at Mariana and this pleased her. Her dad would be proud.

"Hi there Mariana. We're here because we just want to ask you a few questions." She looked back at them with a straight face and shrugged. They took it as a sign to continue, Mariana meant it as a sign to shut up and leave.

"How is it for you at home Mariana? I bet you love having your mom home with you." A shrug. "Don't you miss your dad, though? I mean he must be away so often." Slow blink and a sigh.

They could see they were getting nowhere, but then again, they weren't really expecting to. They weren't looking for information, on the contrary, they were buying time. Not because they needed it either, but it was difficult to explain to a little girl why they had arrested her family earlier in the day.

Mariana could feel the eyes of her family on her. The Devil of Hell's Kitchen didn't move from where he was seated. It felt like a staring match between the two, and neither would lose willingly. The air was thick with silence but Mariana refused to acknowledge anyone other than the man sitting in front of her. Her head was throbbing and she was in need of a good, hot shower. She would probably need help standing up but at least she would be getting the grime off of herself. All the crap from the last four hours that only made her feel weak and ugly inside.

"What would you like to know?" He seemed to be contemplating. One would question why Mariana was so willing to give up any information when she had been about to be killed for her refusal earlier. He seemed the be wondering the same thing, but Mariana was sure of this. He had saved her life and she was thankful for it. If all he wanted was information then she would gladly give it, even if she knew that it could come back and bite her in the ass.

"I think we should start with why Fisk would want to kidnap a girl from a seemingly normal family. That seems a little out of place for a man who vows to not harm the innocent." She pursed her lips and nodded. Of course, he would choose the hardest question first. She was hoping they would ease into it, get to know one another before they laid out all the dirty laundry. She was never really the lucky one in the family anyways.

Mariana laughed lowly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked up at the ceiling above her and tried to figure out where to start. Was she supposed to be frank about it or not? There wasn't some type of manual for this. The Devil gave her some time before his foot started tapping on the floor and Mariana grunted as she started to sit up. Better do this face to face.

"My family…is into some business. Well, we wouldn't really call it a business since we don't get any money out of it, but I guess that's what Fisk would call it." He motioned for her to continue, but Mariana had no idea where she was going with this. She looked to her abuela and mom who were still standing off to the side. They both gave her a look that practically screamed "You got yourself into this mess, you get yourself out of it." Mariana curled her lip and looked back to his face. They were no help to her.

"The thing is…Mr. Devil, sir…can I call you that? It's a little weird but I'm smart enough to know not to ask you your name." His head rolled from side to side and he had his lips pressed together like he was trying to hide a smile. He was laughing at her. Fine then. Asshole.

"Some people call me Mike," he murmured. She snorted. Yeah okay, she guessed that was better than Mr. Devil.

"Okay, _Mike_. Like I said, business. Um, you see…we're a Hispanic family and that means that we're very protective of our own. So, if I tell you this- which I will don't worry- I need you to promise that you won't go after these people. They didn't do anything wrong, and they don't have anything to do with this whole thing with that maniac. They're good people." She wanted him to promise her; promise that he was going to do his job and protect. Mariana had been following the news about him for some time now and she knew the mixed feelings many all over the city had about him, but she was sure that he was one of the good guys. He saved her, and he saved other people as well. A bad man didn't go around beating up rapists and kidnappers, he was usually the one doing it. She continued without his answer because she had no doubt in her mind that he would agree once he knew who exactly she was talking about.

"When I was younger, my family got involved in…helping people…from different countries. Namely, Mexico. We would…bring them over the border, help them get away from whatever was endangering them. Sometimes it was gangs, sometimes it was money, whatever it ended up being we helped them. It went on for years before the local police got an anonymous call from some bastard who said that my family was suspicious and maybe they should look into us. We got the hell out of there when they couldn't prove that my family had anything to do with it. Moved to New York; there are enough people here for it to make it hard for them to find us and them."

"But someone must have confessed, otherwise Fisk wouldn't have any idea about you guys." Mariana shrugged again. That's what she thought too, when they had taken her from outside of her family restaurant.

"I don't really know why they would want to kidnap me though. If they thought that was a way to get my dad to do business with them, they were wrong. He's gonna be pissed when he gets home."

"Home?", he questioned.

"Yeah. Right now, he's on a…business trip if you will." He nodded once and then stood up. It seemed like he had gotten all the information he needed. As he placed the food her family had practically thrust upon him back onto the table, her _abuela_ rushed to his side. He stopped moving when she grabbed his arm again, but refused to look at her. Mariana noticed that there was blood on her floral _camisón_. It stood out against her collarbone as well and Mariana felt her heart drop to her stomach. The one thing she was always adamant about is that her grandmother and sibling stay out of this. She never wanted there to be blood on their innocent hands, and look what she had done. Brought the trouble home to them.

" _No no, mijito. Tienes que dormir aquí si no vas a comer. Tienes muchas lesiones, no puedo dormir si vas afuera otra vez."_ Hm, it seemed her grandmother had been keeping up with the news as well. Or she was just as grateful to him as Mariana was. Otherwise, she wouldn't be offering for him to stay the night. He was silent, and Mariana was about to translate for him, when he spoke up.

" _Gracias señora, pero no puedo. Esta ciudad me necesita_." He turned and walked towards the window, but thought better of it and walked back to where a shocked Mariana was standing. _That's…really hot,_ she thought. Her mom looked at her out of the corner of her eye with an expression of disappointment, like she knew exactly what she was thinking. She probably did, she knew her daughter too well.

His hand went to grip hers and he got closer to whisper, "Thank you for your…cooperation." In that moment, Mariana made the decision to pull him even closer and wrap her arms around his middle. He hissed in pain and she quickly lifted her arms to his shoulders. His arms never lifted to wrap around her, so they stood there a little awkwardly as her family watched.

"Thank you for all you do. If you ever need any help, my family and I are happy to assist." She hesitated before adding, "We never forget the people who help us. You know where to come if you ever need anything." He backed away from her and nodded hesitantly. Mariana tried to give him a smile, to show that she truly meant what she said, but it came out as a grimace instead.

When he walked back to the window, her grandmother opened it for him and he whispered a thank you to her once more. She went to hug him, but he had already flung his body out of the window and onto the fire escape, then to the sidewalk at the bottom.

Mariana's family insisted she stay the night and she didn't push to leave like she would have any other day. She didn't want to admit what they all already knew, that she was more scared than she let on. Her mom tucked her into the bed on her dad's side, and she could smell him on the pillow. It was comforting, and Mariana suddenly remembered when she used to sneak into their bed at night and sleep between them, their heat radiating and making Mariana feel safe. The only thing she needed there was her dad, and she soon got him.

The next morning, she woke up to the smell of coffee. Her mother had never gotten the taste for it, and her grandma much preferred tea, so Mariana knew who the pot was for. Her dad had come home from his trip early. She sat up in bed and stretched from her head to her toes, and then took off the red covers so that she could pad into the kitchen. It was small and cozy with enough room to fit only five people at max, it was a wonder they managed to fit the rest of the family at all. Holidays were a mess and a lot of people ended up sitting in the living room with their plates on their laps, but no one seemed to mind. Or if they did, they kept quiet about it. Their apartment was only so big.

At the kitchen table sat her dad with a stack of papers in front of him and his beloved coffee cup that her brother made him when he was in the third grade, back when it was still considered cute for him to show his affection for his parents. Now, a teenager and taller than any of them, he found it embarrassing to even hug them in front of his friends. He often complained about being babied by them, but to Mariana, he would always remind her of the tiny newborn in her mother's arms.

She walked to the empty chair next to him and took a sip from his cup. He looked up from the document in front of him and gave her smile, before pushing it aside. His hand came up to caress the side of her face and Mariana leaned into it. With him, she never had to say anything for him to understand her. They were thicker than thieves, and had always been. Although Mariana was close her to mom as well, she had always been a Daddy's Girl. She sat down and reached for the document he had been reading as he sat back and continued to drink from his cup. She was about to turn to him to make a comment about the transportation issue they had been having when her mother slammed a plate in front of her. Mariana looked up at her with wide eyes before turning her head to her dad slowly. He was looking at his wife with a grimace on his face and he sighed when he had obviously lost the silent fight that was going on between them. He faced Mariana once more and grabbed her hand.

" _Mija_ , I think your mom wants us to talk about what happened last night with that man." Shit. She looked at her mom who was now standing in front of the stove flipping tortillas on the _Comal_. She looked over her shoulder at Mariana and glared, before going back to making breakfast for whoever else decided to show up. Great, having her mom pissed at her was infinitely worse than anyone else. Her mother liked to hold grudges, and always gave her hell.

"What is it exactly that you want to discuss, _papi_?" His thumb rubbed her hand back and forth, and it soothed the nerves that she got from having her mom in the room with them. She stayed because she wanted to see if her husband was actually going to reprimand their eldest and not go easy on her.

"I think what your mother wants to discuss," she turned and glared at him but he continued anyways, "-is how much information you gave that man. And why exactly you did it." He leaned in closer to whisper, "To be fair it's a valid question, Mariana. But I think I understand why you did it." He leaned back and said in a harsher tone, "Your mother and I need to do damage control if anything goes wrong because of your mistake." He looked to make sure that his wife still had her back to them before winking at her. Mariana tried not to snort but a smile did make its way onto her face.

"He saved me. I thought I should do him a favor in return, and if all he needed was info then I was happy to oblige." A loud smack echoed through the room as her mother threw down another tortilla and turned to face her, her back against the oven and her arms crossed over her chest.

"You did this without our permission. What if he wants to go after these families? What if he turns us in? This doesn't only involve you Mariana! He's a vigilante that turns in criminals! What do you think we are to him if not that exactly?!"

"He won't. I trust him."

"You don't even know him, _pendeja_!"

Mariana sighed deeply. "I know that ma, but…he helps people who need it, and those people certainly do. And it's not like any of us will give him their names. If he somehow finds out, it'll be easy to figure out who told him and get them to a safer location quickly. Plus, I'm sure he trusts the police even less than we do. Remember the news said he beat up a cop? We have to respect that." That seemed to shut her up. Mariana knew what she was doing, knew all the right things to say to get her mom to see her side and agree. No one distrusted the police more than her mother did. As her mom chewed on the inside of her cheek, Mariana knew she had won. For now, at least.

"Fine. But if he comes back, because you were stupid enough to bring him here and offer to help him again, _that's your problem_." She inhaled deeply and fixed the sides of her hair.

"Now, my _novela_ is about to start and I don't want to hear any business talk from the both of you. Or any talking at all. When your brother and sister get home from school you two better have all of that paperwork out of here." She turned off the stove, took off her _delantal_ and strut into the living room. Mariana had won, so why her mom always make her feel like it was the opposite?

After finishing breakfast, she decided to go down to the restaurant again to help her grandmother after putting on some makeup. It was getting closer to lunch and that was when the rush started and she was sure that her grandma would need the extra help. As she walked down the street, she got flashbacks of the night before. She couldn't do this. This was her families place, they owned it, she _worked_ there. She couldn't not go to work. That was unacceptable. But how was she supposed to walk the exact same streets where they had taken her, where she had been walking safely and without any worries other than if they had enough flour in the shop before the newest delivery came. She shook her head and realized that she had stopped right in front of the door when a couple was trying to walk out, and she stepped aside to let them. They looked at her weirdly and she smiled and apologized before they continued on their merry way.

When she got to the kitchen in the back, her grandma was in the middle of tasting the _caldo_ that their newest chef, Jerry, was making. Normally, she would have been the one making it, or Mariana's mother, but lately they had been getting more and more customers and they needed all the help they could get. After a thorough background check and lengthy training period, they had hired two new chefs and two more waitresses. But just because they got the job, didn't mean _abuela_ was willing to let them out of her sight until she was sure they knew what they were doing, and that could take anywhere from a few months to a year. Hell, Mariana grew up helping her with these recipes and she _still_ found something wrong with them every time. Although it aggravated Mariana, she couldn't say anything. This restaurant was everything to her grandma and it was expected for her to be wary of anyone else taking over.

Mariana could hear her telling Jerry that he needed more black pepper in the broth when she walked up behind her and threw her arms around her middle. Mariana put her face in between her shoulder blades and nuzzled as her grandma gave a shout of " _Ay dios mío_!" and then laughed when she realized who it was that had grabbed her. She rubbed the hand that was wrapped around her stomach before removing it and turning her granddaughter around to face her. Mariana smiled at her _abuela_ , and then put her hand to her lip when she felt the cut split it once more. Her grandma winced and went to grab a washcloth, and Mariana was left with Jerry. He was a nice man that was probably about the same age as her parents, maybe a little older, if the gray hairs on his hairline where anything to go by. She leaned against the counter by the stove and waved. He waved back before he did a double take and asked her if she was okay. Mariana laughed and waved her hand.

"Oh yeah this is nothing. I was wrestling with my brother when he accidentally knocked his elbow into me." He nodded slowly, unconvinced. He pointed to her face.

"And the black eyes?" There was awkward silence as she tried to come up with an answer. Eventually, she lamely stated, "I get really bad bags under my eyes. I guess I need to buy some better makeup", and laughed as best as she could. They stared at one another, both knowing she was lying and trying to be polite about it. Mariana didn't know Jerry very well, he had only been working there for a few months, and so she let out an audible sigh when her grandmother returned. She thanked her and held the cloth to her lip to wipe off the blood that she could taste. When she was all cleaned up, she said, "I'm going to go out in front, help the other waitresses. It looks like it's gonna be a busy day and we don't want anyone waiting too long for their food." Before her grandma could protest she hurriedly went out front and grabbed an apron on her way there. When she saw the lines of people outside of the door waiting to be seated, she quickly went to greet them and help the poor girl who was running around like a chicken without a head. She ran to the front and went to the first table that she saw without drinks. As she plastered on a smile and took their orders ( _without_ a notepad because she wasn't an _amateur_ ), the hours slowly went by. She was a woman on a mission, and that mission was to make as much money as possible so she could plan for something she had been considering for a while, something she knew her family would be proud of her for.

When the last of the people were seated, it was time for the other waitress to take her break. Mariana assured her that she would be fine and encouraged her to go get lunch as well.

"Alright then, I'll probably do that. If you want I can bring you something back, too." The offer was greatly appreciated and Mariana felt bad that she hadn't taken the time to learn the girls name in the time she'd been here. She promised herself that she would try harder, but that was for another day, when her brain wasn't about to be fried because it was filled with different orders.

Mariana went back to work, picking up the last few tables that were left. She quickly got them their food and was about to sit down when the bell above the door rang once more, alerting her to the new customers. Two men and a woman. The woman was beautiful and blonde with a pretty smile, while the two men beside her was completely different. One of the men was wearing dark glasses, and was holding the arm of the other, who was talking quickly and enthusiastically with his hands. They swung left to right and Mariana giggled as she walked over to them.

"Hey, guys. Welcome to _Gloriana_ 's _Taqueria_ and Bakery. If you follow me I can seat you right away." She pulled three menus from the side of the hostess stand and beckoned them forward.

"Matt, I'm telling you this place is amazing. Me and Karen came by here last week and couldn't get enough of the food. Even the drinks are top notch!"

"Yes Foggy, you've been telling me about it every day since then." There was laughter in his voice. A familiar voice that sent chills down Mariana's spine. It was him, it had to be. Mariana would know that voice anywhere, and though it had more of a playful tone this time around, she could still make out that is was him. But, it couldn't be, right? She hadn't given him any information on their restaurant, didn't even mention that they owned one. How could he have found her in one of the most populated cities in the world? No, she refused to believe this craziness. There was no way this could happen, no way he would _allow_ this to happen, she thought. He seemed like a cautious man, and the fact that he wore a mask meant that he wanted his identity to be a secret. Anyways, she couldn't prove this theory, and she wouldn't try to. There was no reason for her to know about it, so she wouldn't do anything. But that didn't stop her heart from racing at the thought of knowing his (possible) secret.

She sat them at a table in the back and placed their menus in front of them. The Devil… _Mike_ , laughed and pushed it back towards her.

"I won't be needing this," he said with a grin. That handsome grin that she had a major crush on. _Jesus Christ, get it together, Mariana._ When she came back to earth, she realized why he had pushed the menu towards herself, why he wore glasses inside. Why she had failed to notice the fact that there were no eye holes in his mask. _He's blind_ , she realized. Blind but still able to fight like a freaking ninja. Weird, but this was New York. She had heard of weirder things.

"That makes sense," she muttered.

"Pardon?" he questioned. She squeaked and tried to backtrack. God, she probably made herself look like an ass.

"No oh dear God, I didn't mean it to be rude, I was just trying to- what I mean is that I was," she took a deep breath, "-being an idiot, I am so sorry sir." She would have continued had it not been for the laugh that he and friends let out. She stood there with her hands in folded in front of herself, not understanding why they would laugh at something like this.

"Don't worry about it. Matt here is always making jokes like that, you didn't offend anyone," the man supposedly named Foggy explained. She let out a nervous laugh and slowly pulled the menu into her hands. A piece of hair escaped her ponytail and she quickly put it behind her ear. She needed to get out of this situation fast.

"Funny. Well if you guys give me your drink orders I can go get them for you and then take your orders. So, what would you like?" They answered and she quickly went to the back to get their beverages. As soon as she went to the back, she slumped against the door.

"It's him, oh my god, it's him." Her breathing quickened and she could feel her hands shaking. She couldn't go back out there. There was no way she could face him, knowing who he was. She didn't even want to. Sure, he had helped her when she needed it and she was grateful, but finding out his real identity was different. This felt like an invasion of privacy, it felt dirty. He was here, with friends, laughing and smiling, making jokes. He wasn't the raspy voiced, blood coated, angry man that she had met the night before. She respected him, and that meant that if he wanted to keep secrets, she didn't mind it. She could understand wanting to protect yourself and those around you in dangerous situations. If it had been her in the mask, she's sure she would have done the same thing. Before she had a panic attack on the kitchen floor, she called out, "I'm taking the trash outside! Table three needs drinks!", and ran out as fast as she could. She was frantic, she just wanted to get out of there and get some fresh air to her brain. Maybe that's why she didn't see it coming when she was slammed against the brick wall and grabbed by the throat.


	3. Let's Make a Deal

**Chapter 3**

When Mariana was younger, her best friend lived in the house across the street from her own. She'd met Mateo the year before at school, when he had just moved to town and hadn't known anyone. They became fast friends, mostly due to the fact that he couldn't speak English and Mariana was the only person in the entire school who could have a conversation with him in their native tongue. They also had a lot in common, much more than Mariana did with any of the other kids. Mateo didn't make fun of her for the food she ate, because he ate it too, or the way that she sometimes got an accent when she switched from speaking Spanish to English. Even their parents got along! His mom and dad liked to come over for dinner, and sometimes, when her daddy and his went to the back to talk, it could take hours, and that meant that they could play together longer! In Mariana's mind, it was a win-win situation, and they would totally get married when they were older. It was destiny. He didn't even mind when she asked to play house with him as long as she promised to let him pick what they did the next day, which was usually trying to see who could climb the highest up the giant tree that was down the street and looked over the entire neighborhood. Her mom always got mad at her for coming home with scrapes on her knees and hands from where they had dug into the bark, trying to keep her from falling. In reality, the tree wasn't that tall, and Mateo knew that, but what he didn't know was that Mariana was afraid of heights for reasons she'd refused to tell her mother about.

A few months into their friendship, Mariana woke up to the sound of sirens wailing on their street. She was still half-asleep when it started, and as the sound grew closer and closer, she woke up even more. The sound of her heartbeat was loud in her ears, and she clutched her blanket and pulled it up over her head, like it would protect her from whatever might be happening. She waited a few minutes before the blanket was ripped from her body and thrown on the ground by her mother, who immediately clutched her to her chest, and her father, who ran through the hallway into her room.

"Ma, what's going on? Why are they bothering us?" Mariana talked into her mom's shoulder, felt the tears start to fall on her cheeks, and she wiped them off on her shirt. If she was going to face the police, she needed to make sure that she looked calm. Collected. Like she had nothing to worry about when they showed up at their door. Her mom was still clutching her when her dad spoke up.

"It's Mateo's family. They found them." Her breathing stopped. She had no idea what that meant, but it frightened her. Why had the police been looking for them? They were good people, Mariana knew this! They would never get involved with the police; the police were bad people and bad people weren't friends with her parents.

A sob came out of her mouth and she put her hands on her mother's chest to push her away, running out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her. The sound of her mother and father telling her to stay inside was drowned out by the sirens, and all Mariana could see was blue and red. She crossed the street, feeling the asphalt digging into her heels. In her haste, she had forgotten to grab her shoes.

As she got closer, three policemen came out of the house, Mateo's mom and dad handcuffed and being led to the vehicles by them. She steeled herself, and quickly jogged across the yard to them, and stood in front of the officers. She wouldn't let them do this, they couldn't do this to innocent people. The officer stopped and gave her a look of confusion, until she opened her mouth.

"You can't take them! They haven't done anything wrong!" He looked down at her. She was in her nightgown and had her arms spread out to block him from sidestepping her small frame.

"Mariana! Get back here right now!" Mariana's head turned and she saw her dad on the porch steps, her mom hiding behind him but still keeping her eyes on her daughter. She knew she was in trouble, her dad never yelled at her. She was about to respond, tell him to come over and help her make them understand that this was a mistake, when she heard shouting from another one of the policemen. Her head shot forward to face them once more, dismissing her father.

"Sir, it's protocol, I can't release him!"

"He's a little boy! What is he going to do?!"

Mateo was struggling behind the two, another officer trying to get his other hand into a handcuff. He cried out as the officer forced him down onto the ground, and she could see the policeman twist his arms behind his back, as Mateo cried out. His face turned to Mariana, and she saw grass in his mouth, dirt on his cheek and panic in his eyes. She couldn't move, it was like someone had glued her bare feet to the grass. Mateo had started to scream in pain when she was brought back from where her mind had taken her, and that was when the officer must have had enough with Mr. Gonzales, because he shoved him against the car door and put his hand to his throat. Mr. Gonzales grunted, and Mariana could see his eyes start to pop out like goldfish and his face turn purple as he struggled to get away with his hands behind his back, defenseless.

"No!" her father called out. He ran to them and tried to get the officer off of his friend and they fell, the both of them struggling on the ground. Everyone was screaming, and she heard Mateo yell out for his mother, who was being forcefully put into the back of the cruiser. Next was Mateo, and the officer left the door open for the other to shove him in. Mariana tried to stop the officer that was about to force Mateo in next by grabbing him by the jacket and pulling, but her grip wasn't tight enough. He easily got out of her hold, grabbed her by her braid and yanked her closer to him. She cried out as he gripped the side of her head and pushed, making her fall onto the floor. Her head hit the road, and she could feel it start to bleed.

In the midst of all the chaos, her mother hadn't moved from her position until the cruiser drove off, even as her husband and daughter lay in the street bleeding.

* * *

Her back hit the brick wall next to the dumpster and she let out an audible grunt. The smell was awful and Mariana was sure she had stepped in some trash that had fallen out when the trucks came out to collect it. She would have to wash her clothes as soon as she got home.

She was still feeling the effects of her head wound and the fact that she had been gripped by the throat and pushed into a hard surface, so she only caught the end of what Mike said.

"-find out?"

She blinked and tried to focus on him, taking longer than it normally would have. His face was close enough for her to feel his breath over her face, making the wisps of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail move. She was sure her eyes were crossed at this point, not that he could have noticed.

"Sorry, I didn't catch what you said." Her throat was already killing her. Did he really need to be so overdramatic?

He let out a sharp laugh, but she was sure he didn't actually find this funny. Mariana certainly didn't.

She wouldn't let him know that though.

As she tried to push against his chest to get him off of her, his body stayed completely still. Whatever strength Mariana had did virtually nothing to help her in this situation, she wasn't getting away from him if he didn't want her to.

"I _said_ , how did you find out?" When she didn't answer him quickly enough, his hand tightened around her windpipe once more. Her hands came up to try and yank his off of her to no avail. Her fingernails were digging into his fingers, and she was almost positive she had made him bleed a bit. When she was sure she was blue in the face, he loosened up once more. Mariana inhaled before exclaiming, "I can't answer you when you choke me, idiot!" A small head tilt. What a bastard.

Mike was quiet, and it was a moment before his hand moved away from her. She immediately made a run for it, or tried to, but her damn ponytail was long enough for him to yank it and pull her back to him. She grunted in pain and flailed her arms around when she felt her palm connect with his face. He grunted but continued to pull her by her hair. When he had her in front of him once more, she huffed when he let go, and stumbled back into the wall.

"Hey, that's playing dirty! Only sneaky bitches do that!" She felt around her scalp where the hair had been in his grip while he let out a surprised laugh. "Did you just call me a sneaky bitch?" She paid him no mind while she felt around for blood, and gasped when she felt something sticky on her fingers.

"You made me bleed! What kind of hero are you?!" She was incredulous. He moved closer and grabbed her chin, gently this time. He tilted her head down and looked at where she was holding her hand to the back of her head. He chuckled. "That's not blood, pretty sure it's garbage juice." He stepped back from her and Mariana groaned. That was absolutely disgusting.

"Can you answer my question now?" He was starting to sound impatient. She didn't want to cause him any more anger, so he could take it out on her, so she tried to get her answer past her lips as soon as she could, which made them come out a garbled mess and completely unintelligible.

"…huh?" She groaned and put her head in her hands, fingertips rough from her hands rubbing against the brick behind her, before breathing in through her nose, and then flicking her gaze back up to his face. "I said it was pretty obvious. I think I would remember the man who saved me from death only yesterday." He was quiet, and she assumed he was looking for a more elaborate answer. She gulped and ran her hand over the top of her head then slapped it against her thigh on the way down.

"I don't know, man. There's some things I noticed last night that I guess I noticed today, too? Like your smile, oh my god. I thought it was only the dark that made it super white, like, what do you use? Bleach? And your voice is a little different but-", he brought his hand up in front to stop her. Mortification suddenly spread itself through her body, but he seemed curious.

"My voice? What about it?" She ran her hands against her jeans to get rid of the sweat that hand collected on them. Mariana shrugged until her shoulders were up to her ears.

"I mean…the whole raspy thing? You don't _actually_ talk like that during the day. At least I don't think you do, from what I just heard."

"Raspy? What do you mean raspy?

Her eyebrows lifted as she stared at him incredulously. He had no idea, did he?

"Well if you need an example I'm sure I sound like you do, considering I just got _choked_." Unimpressed, she was unimpressed. And done with this conversation. She was ready to go home already, but she couldn't just leave her job, even if it was her family that owned the place.

"Listen, BDSM really isn't my thing, although I can tell you enjoy a little crime and punishment roleplay every now and then, so I'd really like to leave and get back to what I was doing. So, if you'll excuse me…" He caught her forearm before she could slip away.

"I can't let you go. Not until I have your word that you won't tell _anyone_ what you know." She crossed her arms and scoffed. He was really starting to piss her off.

"What I know? You mean about you? Please! It's _you_ I should be worried about." He took a step back and laughed.

"You gave that information freely, and _now_ you're concerned about it?"

"I did it to thank you! I figured I owed you an explanation, but looking at you now, I can tell you're some type of narc, with your-" she grabbed his jacket in one fist "- _fancy jacket_ and _fancy shoes_. Let me guess, lawyer?" His smile dropped. He seemed uncomfortable that she could guess so easily and be right. He roughly pushed her hand away.

"So, we both have things we want the other to keep secret. I think we can come to agreement."

"Don't play with me asshole. I'm not willing to put my family in danger to help you with your little _vigilante_ shit."

"What help would you give? You managed to get _kidnapped_ yesterday!"

" _That was an accident!"_ Her voice was shrill. She coughed immediately after and he stepped forward, looking to help her, but she held up her hand and glared. Once she was done, she straightened up and fixed her ponytail. As she tried combing through her hair with her fingers, she thought about his proposition, and decided to hear him out.

"Alright. So, what's this great plan you have?" He opened his mouth for a second like he wanted to say something, and then closed it. When he seemed ready to talk he breathed in deeply through his nose before starting.

"Listen, I know your family is a target. Last night proved it. That means there's a possibility that this could happen again. If I promise you that I'll try and protect your family from now on, I want something in return." Mariana snorted.

"Aren't you supposed to do things out of the goodness of your heart? Don't all heroes do that?" His head tilted once more.

"Who said I was a hero?" She sighed. Right. Heroes didn't go around choking random citizens during the day. She was going to have to get rid of the idea that he was a good person. Mariana decided to let it go and see what he wanted in return.

"Information. You guys work the streets a lot right?"

" _What exactly_ do you think my family does?"

"Fine. You guys handle a lot of street matters. Better?"

"Marginally. But, continue."

"If any of your people hear anything that seems fishy and might be connected to Fisk, _tell me_." Mariana thought it over. She could care less what happened to her at the end of the day, but her family? The others? They deserved to keep living. And not just hiding in fear, but to actually _live._ This deal could help with that.

She was willing to risk it.

"Fine. We can go over any details later, because I'm pretty sure taking out the trash doesn't take this long." He nodded. Awkward silence. Maybe he didn't know how to talk to women after he choked the shit out of them. Mariana decided to take the lead.

"My shift finishes at eleven. Walk me home and we can discuss this some more." She was definitely _not_ going to invite him up and try to have her way with him. _Definitely not._

"How bossy. I'll be waiting outside, then."

As he started walking away before he turned back to her.

"Sorry about the whole neck thing."

She put her hand on the door handle and angled her head back around despite the pain.

"I'm just saying, if you were really sorry you would pay for the foundation I need to cover it up."

When she walked back into the restaurant, she made sure to lower her hair so it covered her neck, and confidently strode back to his table, where he was already sitting and enjoying his drink. She must have looked like shit, because his friends stopped talking immediately and looked shocked. She gave them her biggest smile.

"Are we ready to order yet or do you need more time?"


End file.
